The Chosen
by Senna Night
Summary: Julian comes back and has a choice that will forever change his life. Please R&R. (Update: 1-20-02) CHAPTER 2 IS NOW UP!
1. The Awakening

The Choice - Part 1

Title: The Choice

By: Senna Night

Rating: PG 13

Spoilers: All the books through The Kill (book 3) of The Forbidden Game by Lisa Jane Smith.

Disclaimer: They're mine, I tell ya. Mine!!! (Yeah, right...who the hell am I kidding?) All the characters you recognize belong to the great LJ Smith. If you don't recognize them, then they are mine. Hehe. You can borrow them if you ask me. No money is being made off of this. Damn. This is strictly for entertainment purposes only. Damn that, too. LOL!

Comments: Cussing, violence, cuddling, but no sex. Hell, I'm not writing a sex fic. If you have a problem with that, kiss my ass. Any other questions?

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Chapter 1 - Jenny

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"Julian," I spoke softly. My eyes looked around for any sign of him. It was a bright and sunny day. It's always like this in my dreams. Bright and sunny, exactly how Julian wanted it to be. I was sitting on the dark green grass in a park alone...waiting for him. Sometimes Julian showed up, sometimes not. I waited anyways.

It's been one year exactly since Julian died, saving my life fighting against the other Shadow Men. He was the youngest of them all. But yet, he stood up to them and protected me. When they carved out his name from the runestave, it was like they ripped out his heart. When he died, it felt like they had ripped out my heart, along with Julian's. I loved him. I admit it. There was a part of me that grew to like him. He may have acted like he was the big bad wolf, but deep down, I knew there was good in him. I knew it when he saved me from the waters in the cave. The other Shadow Men tried to drown me, without Julian knowing. When he saved me, I knew that it wasn't him that tried to kill me, even if I made him angry before. When I awoke and heard Julian saying my name over and over hoping I was still alive, something inside of me just knew that he loved me and I loved him. I couldn't help it. I've always loved Tom, and still do. A part of my heart also loves Julian. I just wonder, who has won the prevalent piece of my heart.

Strong, warm arms wrapped around my waist. I turned my head slowly to face him. My lips curled into a soft smile. Julian smiled back, a mirroring image of mine. "Miss me?" he asked.

I laughed softly. "Of course," I responded, before our lips moved closer. It was a deep avid kiss that lasted just short of eternity. When we broke the kiss, he sat down beside me. I rested my head on his chest and breathe in the scent of him. He was wearing cologne. I had no idea which type it was, all I knew was I liked it. I smiled, even more, at the thought.

"Have you decided which college you're going to, yet?" he asked, resting his chin on the top of my head. College. I could stay here with the rest of my friends, and, my boyfriend, Tom. Or I could go somewhere else, and start a new beginning, a new beginning from my life here. But, which choice would make me happier?

"I haven't really decided yet," I sighed, "I'm not sure if can leave my friends behind, I just don't know if I can…"

"Leave Tom behind…" he spoke softly, trying to hide the hurt in his voice. I nodded.

"I've still got a month till I have to decide," I considered to myself. I took his left hand and gently squeezed it, silently telling Julian 'I can get through this'.

"I know, my love, I know."

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Julian

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"Julian, arise!" A sound. A voice. A word. I blinked. My eyes opened and I quickly threw my hands over my eyes. It was bright, very bright, and almost _too_ bright. "Nice of you to come back, Julian," a soft voice spoke. The voice sounded so beautiful… so magical. Just like…

"Karina," the name flowed from my lips. There was fear behind my words, but hardly noticeable, to most. "Where are you?" My eyes were now fully adjusted to the harsh white light. I could see no sign of anyone, but some Shadow Men can hide better than the others. So, I was always careful, just like how I was taught to be.

Karina. I almost smiled as the memories of her and I came to mind. I remembered how her hair felt when I ran my hand through the stands of hair. She had natural brown and black hair. It looked black from a distance, but closer you came near Karina, you could see some brown mixed in. Her eyes were a beautiful hazel. I could have spent eternity looking into her eyes, until I meant Jenny.

A whisper, "Julian." I couldn't tell where she was. Wherever I am, anything said is like an echo. You just can't tell where it started, or where it ends. Damn. I sat up. My eyes searched for an exit. Nothing. Great. Then her two arms wrapped around my waist, slowly. It was almost like she was cautious.

I never moved. When both of her arms stopped, I still didn't move. The silence was deafening. "Julian," she said. Karina was being too cautious. She's never like this. "Aren't you glad to see me?" Should I be?

I paused. What should I say? "How long have I been gone?" I asked, almost not wanting to hear the answer.

"Too long, in my opinion," I turned my head towards her face. Our faces were only inches apart. "You haven't answered my question… Aren't you glad to see me?"

She's not going to give up. "Yes." Well, I was glad to see her. It's been, what, years perhaps from the last time I've seen her. I think. "Now what about my question."

"It's only been a few months since the Shadow Men carved your name out of the runestave. To be exact, it's been 8 months," she paused, "Why did they carve your name out, Julian?" I couldn't tell Karina the truth.

"Karina, I just can't tell you right now."

"Fine, then answer this for me… It's been 12 years since that stupid little girl broke her grandfather's spell and released you. Why haven't you tried to find me since then?"

It hurt me to hear Karina call Jenny a 'stupid little girl', if she only knew. "I tried, mon feu," I lied, " When I hadn't heard a response from you, I thought you found someone else and chose him over me," I looked down, making the lie seem real, "I gave up thinking those words over and over again." I forced my eyes to look depressed with a tint of sadness. I looked into Karina's eyes. My best acting skills was at 100%. I sighed. If she sees through this lie, then Jenny's in trouble.

"Oh, Julian, I'd never leave you for anyone else," a tear trickled down her cheek, "Ever." A happy smile appeared on my lips. Jenny is safe. "I can arrange the wedding within a month."

"Wedding?" I asked in disbelief.

She grimed. "Of course, don't you remember? You proposed to me three days before you were captured." My heart started to beat faster and faster. Oh, shit, I forgot all about the proposal.

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End Chapter 1

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A/N: So, how is it? Bad, horrible, disgustingly horrid, just-throw-it-away bad or do you actually like it, love it, or even cherish it? Any comments are welcomed, except flames. Just because I'm a witch, or was it bitch?, doesn't mean you have to burn me to a crisp. I can just hear someone saying, "Burn, baby, burn." Laurel? Was that you? Or how about you Liz? Maybe it's my next-door neighbors. They never really liked me… *looks around cautiously*


	2. La Blanc Soleil

A/N: I know that Julian was never killed. He just disappeared for a while. I'll try not to use the word killed but if I do, remember, I meant that he just disappeared.

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Chapter 2 - Julian

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      How'd I forget the proposal? "Karina, are you sure you want to get married so soon?" I asked.

      She looked at me, her left eyebrow raised, "I knew it! You found some other girl and now you're going to leave me for her!" What the--? How'd Karina know? Did one of the Shadow Men tell her? Karina would try and kill Jenny. What if I couldn't stop her? Oh God, Jenny. I just stared at Karina in shock.

      Then she laughed. My eyes widened. "Julian! I know you would never leave me for anyone else. I was just joking. All these rumors I've been hearing about you loving someone else," she laughed even more at the thought, "We were made for each other. I just know it." Whew, that was close…

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Jenny

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      I yawned. How long could Mr. Koontz babble about a dead frog? Gee, and to think that the popular girls talked a lot. The bell rang. I grabbed my books and headed out the door to my locker. It was my senior year of high school. I've thought so much about college. After long hours of thinking, I'm leaning towards going to Indiana University School of Medicine. I want to become a doctor so 

I could help people. The thing is, if I leave, everyone I knew would be still here. Of course I'd make new friends, but I don't want to leave Tom behind too. I love Tom, but ever since Julian came… he's been distant. There couldn't be a relationship like that, even if we love each other, right? If I stay here, I wouldn't be able to become a doctor and I'd go to a local college. The more I think, the more I'm already walking down the road to IU. Tonight I'm going to drive to Bloomington, Indiana tonight to check out the campus. I'll spend one day there, then I'll head back. The warning bell rang, and I headed to Math.

*7:30am – Bloomington, Indiana*

      I yawned as I pulled out of the parking lot of one of those new Comfort Inns with free breakfast. Of course, the breakfast is mini package cereal with a small carton of milk to go with it, unless you decided to eat fruit. So anyway, there's nothing really good at the free breakfasts, so I decided to head to the nearest café. I read about a good café place called "La Blanc Soleil" or in plain English "The White Sun". Where in the world do these people get these names? Don't ask. Anyway, I pulled into a small parking lot across of the café.

      I smiled, when I saw that you could sit and drink lattes outside under one of those benches with a red umbrella in the middle giving you some shade from the rising sun. That reminds me of when the gang and I went to --- I mentally slapped myself --- "I'm here to check out a college, not to be reminded of the friends you're going to leave," I spoke out loud to myself. Trying to keep that sentence in mind, I headed into the café. I ordered a mocha latte and went outside and I took a seat at a table next to the building.

It wasn't exactly busy at this time of the morning, so I decided to relax and listen in the other conversations, and then I heard a voice spoke, "Hey, Kegan, guess what. Did you hear about Julian and Karina? They are back together again! They are supposed to be married this weekend! How romantic. Of course it would have been sooner, but, remember that story about that one old wizard that captured a few of us? Well, that was the same old guy that captured Julian…" Julian is with some other girl? My Julian? No… I listened into their conversation again. "They are supposed to be married next Saturday." Next Saturday? Oh, god.

"Michael, would you shut up? It's bad enough that Karina dumped me 15 years ago. I'm heading home," said Kegan angrily, turning my head slightly to watch him walk away. Then Michael shook his head, snorted, and then he also walked away too. I glanced around to see if anyone else was watching. Then I proceeded to follow Kegan, throwing the empty mocha latte cup into the plastic green trashcan before leaving. 

He wasn't hard to follow. He kept mumbling and grumbling all the way. First he went to his car, which happened to be a shiny dark blue Acura, he drove into the open road and sped down the road, as I watched from a distant in my car.

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      After awhile, Kegan pulled into an empty gas station next to highway. I couldn't even read the name of the gas station, because the lettering was worn off and the part that was still there was covered in dirt. I parked my car a nice long distant away from Kegan's. He opened his car door and stepped out. Then he walked over to the empty gas station and opened the broken glass door, which was boarded up by a few pieces of rotten wood. So, I casually walked over and peaked into the gas station between two wooded boards. I spotted Kegan over by the old freezer doors. He opened one, and stepped inside. This was my cue, so I went inside.

      Carefully, but quickly, I stepped through all the old dusty junk on the floor and made my way to the freezers. I went to the one Kegan went through and opened it. I gulped. There was a town. A regular town, well, maybe not a regular town but it sure looked like it. As I stepped inside, a hand grabbed my arm roughly. Then I was pushed and was now pinned to the wall. Then I looked at the person that was holding me up. Kegan. "Why are you following me?" Kegan asked, while his words were tinted in anger.  I guess I'm not going to be back in Bloomington anytime soon…

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End Chapter 2

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A/N: The only reason Jenny is heading to Indiana University is because I want to go there, unless I could head to Harvard or some other big school. I also might decide to go to Notre Dame. I've got a few years time to decide… Also, when I was in Bloomington, I never saw a café there so I just made it up. Anything store you hear in my stories are usually made up, unless I use some place that's really known worldwide. If there is a connection, that's just by coincidence.


End file.
